Rail joint and bar



May 20, 1930. G, LANGFORD 1,759,458

RAIL JOINT AND BAR Filed Dec. 23, 1929 11 7/67? Z07" George La nyfard JZZZya .14

Patented May 20, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE LANGFORD, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MCKENNA PROCESS COMPANY OF ILLINOIS, OF J OLIET, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS RAIL JOINT AND BAR Application filed December 23, 1929. Serial No. 415,910.

This invention has to do with rail joints. and relates more particularly to a reformed bar for use in such joints.

Rail joint bars known in the art as head 5 contact bars are in extensive use. These bars have head and flange fishing surfaces of uniform width which contact the corresponding surfaces of the rail ends, and have draw space between the head and flange and the web of the rail. It is desirable that the area of contact between the bar head and the rail head be as great as possible to effectively brace the rail ends.

In the head contact bar referred to, the width of the fishing surface of the head is limited by the width of the rail head and is necessarily less than the surface of'the rail head, due to the provision of draw space. I have found that a bar of the head contact type can readily be converted, by slightly altering the angles of the fishing surfaces, into a bar of a different type which can be so disposed relative to the rail as to have fish ing contact therewith, at the head of the bar,

from the upper outer corner of the bar head to the lower portion of the upper inner fillet thereof. This bar can be readily produced by a simple reforming operation from a head contact bar and, when applied in a joint, has much greater area of contact with the rail head and a much longer life than the ordinary head contact bar. This reformed bar I term a full head contact bar, as distinguished from the ordinary head contact bar, in view of the increase in area of contact with the rail head. A further advantage of this reformed bar is that the inner upper fillet of the head thereof contacts the corresponding fillet of the rail head and is highly eflicient in bracing the rail ends. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an end view of a head contact bar of ordinary type applied to a rail;

Figure 2 is an end view of a bar in accordance with my invention produced by reforming the bar of Figure 1 Figure 3 is an end view of a pair of dies '50 and a bar therein, illustrating the method of reforming-the bar of Figure 1 to produce the bar of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end View of a rail joint showing bars reformed in accordance with my invention applied thereto; and

Figure 5 is an end view of a bar in accordance with my invention, as applied, after wear has occurred.

In Figure 1, I have shown a head contact bar 1 of known type applied to a rail 2. This bar comprises a web portion 3, head 4 and flange 5, the head and the flange having fish-.

ing surfaces which contact the corresponding surfaces of the head and flange of the rail. Each of these fishing surfaces is disposed at an. angle of approximately 14;!

to the horizontal, though the angle of the fishing surfaces varies somewhat.

Draw space 6 is provided between the head and flange of the bar and the web of the rail so that the bar can be pulled intothe rail,

by bolt tension as wearoccurs, as is well known in-the art. The width of the fishing surface of head 4 is indicated at 7. This width is limited bythe width of the corresponding surface of the rail head and the necessity of providing the draw space 6. After the bar has worn to such an extent that the draw space is taken up, it is of no further use in the joint and must be replaced. This raises the problem of how to utilize these worn bars, which is a real problem in this art in that great numbers of these bars are used and have to be constantly replaced. Also, this type of bar wears comparatively rapidly at the head, particularly, due to the fact that the width of the fishing surface of the bar head is relatively narrow.

I have found that a worn head contact bar can be reformed with facility, by slightly altering the angles of the fishing surfaces thereof, to produce a bar which, when applied to the rail, is disposed at anupward and in- I ward inclination thereto, the head of this bar ordinary head contact bar and also contacts the rail head at the lower. inner fillet thereof so as to more effectively brace the rail. In

Figure-2, I have illustrated, in end view, a bar in accordance with my invention produced by reforming the bar of Figure 1. In Figure 2 the Original fishing surfaces of the bar, before reforming thereof, are indicated in dotted lines. It will be noted from this figure that the angle to the horizontal of the head fishing has been reduced and the angle to the horizontal of the flange fishing has been zontal position and the head fishing forming surface of die 8, indicated by the lines 10-11, is disposed at a less angle to the vertical than the original head fishing surface of the bar, indicated by dotted lines, and the flange fishing forming surface of the die 8,-indicated by the lines 1213, is disposed-at a-somewhat greater angle to the vertical than the original ange fishing surface of the bar, indicated by the dotted line. Y I

The two dies have cooperating inclined faces constituting a die lock 14 which 'acts to transform the vertical pressure of die 9 into lateral pressure in the direction of the flange of the bar, as the dies are closed. The dies act to press the flange of the bar outward slightat 15 and inwardly to a slight extentat 16,

l the flange remaining undisturbed from 15 to 17. By thus reducing the angle of the head fishing surface and increasing the angle of the flange fishing surface, the bar 10 can be efficiently reformed with the displacement of but a small amount of metal at the upper face of the flange, as indicated at 18, this displaced metal being redistributed at the under I face of the flan? to formthe flange fishing surface, and the displacement and redistribution of but a small amount of metal at the. head of the bar, as indicated'by the dotted line. In practice, the head fishing surface of the bar wears more rapidly than the flange fishing surface and, in many instances, particularly where the bar is badly worn, little if any metal will be displaced and redistributed at the head in the reforming operation;

This method of reforming a bar of one type to produce a bar of another type constitutes the subject matter of my copending applicatlon for method of converting bars for rail igiogts, Serial No. 350,733, filedMarch 28, Referring more particularly to Figure 2,

it will be noted that the flange fishing surface 19 of the reformed bar is disposed at a greater angle to the horizontal than the corresponding surface of bar 1 of Figure. 1, whereas the head fishing surface 7 of the reformed bar is disposed at an appreciably less angle to the horizontal than the corre-' sponding surface of the original unworn bar, illustrated in Figure 1. It will further be noted, that the under face of flange 5 of the reformed bar, beyond the fishing surface19, is disposed at an obtuse angle to this fishing surface.

In Figure 4, I have illustrated a bar 20, in accordance with my invention, as applied. T hefoot or flange fishing surface 19 of this 'bar seats upon the corresponding surface of the flange of rail 2 so that the bar is tilted upwardly and inwardly toward the central vertical axis of the rail, indicated by the line ab. This tilting of the bar brings the upper inner fillet 21 of head 4 into contact with the lower inner fillet 22 of the rail head 23. The head fishing surface of the bar is also incontact with the corresponding surface at the under side of therail head. By disposing the bar in this manner I obtain fishing contact between the bar head and the rail head from the upper outer corner of the bar head to the lower portion of the upper inner fillet 21 thereof, this fishing contact being indicated at 24. 7

By reference to Figure 1, it willbe noted that the width of contact between the bar head and the rail of Figure 4 is appreciably greater than in Figure 1, which is desirable as more effectively bracing the rail while also reducing rate of wear of the bar head. 1

With the bar disposed, as in Figure 4, draw space.25 is provided between the flange of the bar and the rail .web. The fillet 21 of head 4 bears against fillet'22 of the rail head and,'as Wear occurs, the flange or foot portion of the bar is drawn in by the bolts thus causing upward movement of the head of the-bar and maintaining tight contact between the same and the rail head. The bar thus has, in effect, pivotal movement' above an axis adjacent the upper inner portion of the head of the bar. The barthus formed can readily be produced by reforming from a worn head contact bar of ordinary type and ismore eflicient than the head contact bar inthat it has a longer life and braces the rail more effectively.

The bar" of my invention, when initially applied to the rail,pshould fit thereto as I shown at the left of Figure 4. In practice, however, some tolerance is permitted and the bar may occasionally be a little too high to fit into the rail as at the left of Figure 4.

Under such conditions, the bar when initially'applied will occupy the dotted line position shown in Figure 5. As wear progresses the flange or foot portion of the bar will move inwardly toward the web of the rail and the head of the bar will move upwardly, the bar accommodating itself to wear. This will be clear from Figure 5 in which the position of the bar when initially applied is indicated in dotted lines, the position of the bar after the greater portion of the draw space 25 has been taken up being shown in full lines. I

As will be noted more clearly from Figure 4, the upper outer corner of head 4 of the bar 20 is disposed an appreciable distance inwardly from the lower outer corner of rail head 23, as indicated at 26. I consider this advantageous as avoiding projections extending an appreciable distance beyond the rail head and immediately adjacent thereto, while at the same time obtaining a much greater width of contact between the bar head and the rail head than is possible in the ordinary head contact bar. Though my invention is well adapted for use with new bars, it is of particular value when applied to reformed bars, as the bar of my invention can be produced with facility by reforming ordinary head contact bars, as above pointed out.

Although in reforming the preferred method, as shown-in Figure 3, is to decrease the head fishing angle and increase the flange y thereto. The bar of my invention, when apfishing angle causing the bar to incline head inward, as in bar 20 of Figure 4, another method may be used whereby these angles remain unchanged, the head of the bar being bent to produce bar 27 shown in full lines at the right of Figure 4. The bar 27 is pro- I duced from a worn head contact bar of ordinary type, indicated by dotted lines, by

bending the head thereof into the rail as shown. Head 28 of bar27 has contact with the rail from the upper outer corner of the bar head to the lower portionof the upper in-. ner fillet thereof, as at 29, and as shown. It

will be noted that the outer face of bar 27 is vertical, and this reformed bar is not in-' clined head inward to the rail to any greater extent than the worn head contact bar from which it has been produced. This non-inclined bar 27, like the inclined bar 20,"preserves the novel features of my invention in that the bar head is in fishing contact with the rail from its upper outer corner to substantially the bottom of its upper inner fillet, the upper outer corner of the bar head being spaced an appreciable distance from the lower outer corner of the rail head.

I am aware that it has been proposed to use rail joint-bars which contact the rail head at thelower inner fillet thereof and move on an axis adjacent such-fillet. These barsare termed head free bars and are characterized by the fact that the upper inner fillet only of the bar .head contacts the rail, the

upper face of the bar head being spaced away yfIOIIlillhB under face of the rail head to pro- ';;'.vide what is termed clearance therebetween.

In this head free bar referred to, the area of contact between the head of the bar and the rail is slight whereas, in my full head contact bar the area of contact between the bar head and the rail head is relatively great. This is an advantage as, in order to reduce wear between the bar and the rail, the area of contact between the bar head and the rail head should be of appreciable width.

I am also aware that it has been proposed to provide a rail joint bar having fishing contact with the rail head for the full width of the under face thereof, the upper inner fillet ofthe head of such bar contacting the lower innerfillet of the rail head, and the bar moving on an axis adjacent its upper inner fillet to take up wear by inward movement of the foot or flange portion of the bar. Such a bar is disclosed in the patent to William P. Thomson and Samuel G. Thomson, issued October 10, 1911, No. 1,005,583.

My rail joint and bar are to be distinguished from the Thomson joint and bar, referred to, in that the upper outer corner of the head of my bar is disposed an appreciable distance inwardly from the lower outer corner of the rail head, thus avoiding projections extending an appreciable distance outwardly be ond the rail head and immediately adjacent plied in a joint, has ample width of head fishing contact with the rail and possesses the important advantage that it can readily be,

1. In a rail joint, in combination with the rail, a joint bar having head and flange fishing surfaces in contact with the corresponding surfaces of the rail, the head of said bar being in contact with the rail head and fillet from the upper outer corner of the bar head to the bottom of the upper inner fillet thereof, the upper outer corner of said head being spaced an appreciable distance inwardly from the lower outer cornerof the rail head.

2. In a rail joint, in combination with the rail, a'joint bar having head contact with the rail head and fillet from the upper outer corner of the bar head to the bottom of the upper inner fillet thereof, the upper outer 7 corner of the bar head being spaced an apprewith an inner upper fillet and a fishing surface extending from said fillet, said fishing surface having contact for its fullwidth with the corresponding surface of the rail head and the. fillet of the bar head contacting the corresponding fillet of the rail head, the upper outer corner of the bar head being spaced an appreciable distance inwardly from the lower outer-corner of the rail head. 1

4. A full head contact bar, said bar being reformed from a bar of a differenttype, and having oneof its fishing surfaces disposed at a different angle to the horizontal than its other fishing surface and also at a different angle to'the horizontal than thecorrespondreformed from a bar of a different type, and

having one of its fishing surfaces disposed at a less angle to the horizontal and the other fishing surface at a greater angle to the horizontal than the corresponding surfaces of the unworn original bar before reforming thereof. I

7. A full head contact bar, said bar being reformed from a bar of a different type, and having its head fishing surface disposed at a -less angle to the horizontal and its foot fishing surface at a greater angle to the horizontal than the corresponding surfaces of the unworn original bar before reforming thereof.

8. A reformed rail joint bar having head and foot fishing surfaces adapted for contact with the corresponding surfaces 'of the rail ends in a rail joint, the head of the bar being adapted for contact with the rail head and fillet from the upper outer corner of the bar head to and includin the upper inner fillet thereof, the bar head fishing surface being of less width than the corresponding surface of the rail head, said bar being reformed from a head contact bar and the angle to the horizontal of the foot fishing surface being different than the angle to the horizontal of the corresponding surfaces of the unworn original head contact bar before reforming thereof.

'9. A reformed rail joint bar having head and foot fishing surfaces adapted for contact with the'corresponding surfaces of the rail ends in a rail joint, the'head of the bar being adapted for contact with the railhead and head fishing surface being respectively greater and less than the angle to the horizontal of the corresponding surfaces of the unwornoriginal head contact bar before reforming thereof. V

10. A rail joint bar adapted for head and flange fishing contact with the rail when ap-' plied in a rail joint, with the head fishing of the bar in contact with the rail from the upper outer corner of the bar head to the bottom of the upper inner fillet thereof and the upper outer corner of the bar head spaced ail-appreciable distance inwardly from the lower outer corner of the rail head.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 14th day of December, 1929.

GEORGE LANGFORD.

fillet from the upper outer corner of the bar head to and including the upper inner fillet thereof, the bar head fishing surfaces being of less width than the corresponding surface of the rail head, said bar being reformed fro1n "ahead contact bar and the angle to the horizontal of the foot fishing surface and the 

